This collection contains the diaries, 1912-1922, of Edgar Carl Hermann of Sheboygan, Wisconsin. The first diary concerns Hermann's daily life as a worker for a railroad. There are two diaries from 1919, both of which describe Hermann's service during World War I. They include his service in France and Germany and his two week trip to Paris during his leave time. There are also diaries from 1920, 1921, and 1922.
Most of the entries describe Hermann’s daily life in St. Paul, Minnesota. Church and recreational activities are the events most typically described. Often these include references to landmarks in and around Minneapolis and St. Paul. Some of the place names include the Hippodrome, Hollow Rink, Bridge Square Hotel, Merchant’s Hotel, Grand Central Hotel, the De Luxe Theater, the New Aster Theater, Oakland Cemetery, and Forest Cemetery. He also visits many of the parks and natural features of the area especially Indian Mounds Park, Phalen Park, Como Park, and Lexington Park.
Church activities dominate Hermann’s diary entries. Regular entries are made for prayer meetings, choir rehearsals and performances, preparing for holiday programs, and many different kinds of committee meetings. His main recurring responsibility is leading Sunday school and he makes frequent note of the study and preparation that goes into this including attending professional development conferences.
Collection is open to all researchers. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.
Before reproducing or quoting from any materials, in whole or in part, permission must be obtained from the Special Collections Research Center, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.
Edgar Carl Hermann was born September 18, 1888, in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Before 1910, he had moved to St. Paul, Minnesota, where he worked as a stenographer for a railroad company eventually becoming chief clerk of the saftey bureau. In 1917 he was drafted into the Army in which he served as a clerk in the vicinity of Coblenz, Germany. Upon returning to the United States in 1919, he lived in St. Paul at least through 1922. He moved to Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, some time before 1930 where he worked as a saleman. His spouse was Leila H. Hermann and their son was Edgar W. Hermann. His date of death is August 30, 1953.
0.25 Linear Feet
English
This collection ID was formerly Mss. Acc. 2012.315.
Accessioned and minimally processed by Benjamin Bromley in August 2012. Detailed description authored by Matthew Thompson November 2014. Revised in March 2018 by Karen King.
Part of the Special Collections Research Center Repository